Packing material.



L150 H. BAEKELAND, OF YONKEItS, NEW YORK.

PACKING MATERIAL.

30 Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 1, 1909. Serial No. 475,522.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

To all'who'rh 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lee H; BAEKELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State-of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing Material, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to packing matcrials, and comprises a packing material,

\packing, gasket, washer or the like containing as an essential component an insoluble and infusible condensation product of phenol and formaldehyde of the character de- 5 scribed in my copending applications, Se-

rial Nos. 383,084, filed July 13, 1907, 397,560, filed October 15, 1907, and 405,021, filed December el, 1007, or apartial reaction product of phenol and formaldehyde capable of transformation by heat into the said insoluble and infusible product. This material is highly resistant to heat and chemical action and I have found gaskets or similar forms of packing material containing the same to be capable of withstanding hot steam, hot gases, solvents and chemical solutions, which attack all other forms-of packing material known to me.

The packing preferably comprises a fibrous or filamentary material-of inorganic or organic origin, as for example asbestos, asbestos paper orfelt, woven asbestos, ordinary paper, woven tissues or cloth, woven metal wire or similar; substances, serving as a body or skeleton to be impregnated with the insoluble and infusible condensation product above referred to. I may also incorporate with the mass graphite, talc, soapstone or like materials, serving to hardenit and to prevent sticking; or the packing may have an external coating of such materials, alone or in conjunction with the said condensation product. v

Various methods may be employed in preparing the packing material. For example 1 I may'impregn'ate the'fibrous or filamentary body with a mixture of approximately equal volumes of commercial phenol or other phenolic'body and a commercial 40% solution of formaldehyde, or thelpolymers of formaldeh-yde, catalytic or condensing agents, preferably bases, being added if desired. The composition is then heated to effect the .chemical transformation of the mass into the insoluble and infusible condensation product referred to. During this heating, or g in the earlier stages thereof, the composition is preferably kept under suflicient pressure to prevent the formation of a porous product, as fully described in my copendmg applications above mentioned.

As fully explained in the said copending applications, there exists certain partial re-. action products of phenol and formaldehyde Which may be either liquid or solid, and

which present a wide variation with respect to solubility, these partial reaction products having however incommon the property of being transformed under the influence .of

heat into the insoluble'and infusible condensation product to which I have referred above. These partial reaction products, whether liquid or solid, may be combined or mixed with the fibrous or filamentary body and thereafter transformed into the. final condensation product by subjecting them to heat under suitable conditions. Whether the body be impregnated or mixed with the original phenol and formaldehyde or with a partial reaction product thereof, the reaction which effects the transformatioininto the final condensation product may bdfldeferred until the packing is put into use, the heat to which it is subjected under conditions of use Being availed of, for effecting this transformation.

Another simple method of applying the invention is to coat or impregnateasbestos felt, paper, or woven cloth with an alcoholic solution of a soluble partial reaction product so of-phenol and formaldehyde, and to permit the solvent to evaporate. The resulting composition may be kept ready for use either in sheets or in cut sizes, and may undergo the final transformation in use in case the conditionsof use are suitable/for eflecting such transformation, that is to say in case the conditions are such that the material will be subjected to the joint action of heat and pressure.

.The packing may be in the form of flat sheets or shapes as above described, or. in the form of ropes, yarns, coils or braids of suitable shape or section, rendering it available for use in stufling boxes, pistons, etc. Or the composition may take the form of loose fiber, properly mixed or impregnated with a partial orfinal reaction roduct. To any of these forms graphite, ta c, soapstone or like material or lubricant adapted to prevent sticking may be added. I mayalso incorporate with any of the above described forms of packing material sheets, woven fabrics, .Wires or braids of metal; or poW- 5 dered or granular metals. The word phenol as employed in the claims is intended to include such phenolic bodies as are the equivalents of phenol for the pur )os'es of this invention; and the Word 10 forma dehyde is intended to ineludethe polymers of formaldehyde,

I claim: I ,1. A packing material containing an insoluble and infusible condensation product 15 of phenol and formaldehyde.

2. A packing material comprising a body insoluble and infusible condensation product of phenol and formaldehyde. 4

4:. A packing material comprising a body coated or impregnated with phenol and formaldehyde or a reaction productthereof, 25'

anda lubricant. I

In testimon whereof, I ailix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

LEO H. BAEKELAN D. l Vitnesses H. S. TARBELL, MARY L. Snonr. 

